In the primary and lower secondary school Søgårdsskolen in Gentofte north of Copenhagen Bosch & Fjord have turned an open corridor space and common area into a space for learning and reflection. A small stylised forest now offers a space for individual students as well as larger groups in and outside classroom activities.Søgårdsskolen is a special-needs school with a wide diversity of children who often have very contradictory needs in terms of the spatial environment. In order to meet these needs the school was recently renovated.In an attempt to activate the inherent possibilities that the building offers Bosch & Fjord designed an open corridor space and common area to better accommodate the children’s diversity in terms of development, age, personality and needs. The design consists of a small stylised forest with large green trees on a podium.

In the primary and lower secondary school Søgårdsskolen in Gentofte north of Copenhagen Bosch & Fjord have turned an open corridor space and common area into a space for learning and reflection. A small stylised forest now offers a space for individual students as well as larger groups in and outside classroom activities.Søgårdsskolen is a special-needs school with a wide diversity of children who often have very contradictory needs in terms of the spatial environment. In order to meet these needs the school was recently renovated.In an attempt to activate the inherent possibilities that the building offers Bosch & Fjord designed an open corridor space and common area to better accommodate the children’s diversity in terms of development, age, personality and needs. The design consists of a small stylised forest with large green trees on a podium. This offers the children a space for play and quiet reflection together or individually as well as educational group activities.The forest is designed to be an active element in the children’s learning processes. The trees form little meeting places under the tree crowns, where the children can play together or study with a teacher. They also create small individual spaces where the children can retreat and hide behind a tree or spend some alone-time, leaning against the tree trunk. The forest is placed on a podium, which interrupts the corridor flow and creates a natural obstacle to running in the hallway. The podium has a soft surface, which requires children and adults to remove their shoes before entering the forest. That creates a sense of intimacy and homeliness.The stylised trees give the space a clear identity and function, which encourages a wide variety of activities and educational approaches and builds a sense of community. The new setting gives the teachers in the school excellent conditions for trying out different educational approaches.The forest has become the new heart and centre of the building. It turns the open corridor space and common area into an active part of everyday activities and a natural meeting place for the everyday users of the school.